2023 census ‘ll make future exercise less expensive – Official

The National Population Commission (NPC) says the 2023 National Population and Housing Census will lay the foundation for less expensive and tasky exercises in the country.

The Chairman of the Commission, Nasir Isa-Kwarra stated this at a one-day breakfast meeting with media executives on Wednesday in Gombe.

Represented by Mr Abubakar Danburam, NPC Federal Commissioner in the state, Isa-Kwarra said that part of the planning for the 2023 census was not only to meet the immediate needs of delivering the next census but to lay a solid foundation for future conduct of the exercise.

According to him, such mindset by the Commission informed the scope and quality of arrangements put in place, hence, huge resources had been spent to ensure that future exercises were conducted on good foundation.

The Commission, he said, digitilised census to ensure that future exercises were carried out with ease based on the 10-year stipulated time frame.

He said that with the digital nature of the 2023 census, future conduct of the exercise would only need update and less expensive.

Isa-Kwarra said that with the level of resources, equipment and preparations so far put in place, future census had been made easy to conduct.

“The Enumeration Area Demarcation (EAD), which involved the division of the country into small land areas was meticulously undertaken in such a way that only an update will be required for future census.

“Using satellite imageries, the Enumeration Areas were all geo-referenced with the coordinates of all the buildings established.

“The products of the EAD are currently being used by other government agencies.

“The recruitment of the ad-hoc workers had been completed before the postponement through a rigorous online process in which about one million workers have been screened and found worthy of assignment.

“The database of all the recruited personnel including their contact details is available for the next census,” he said.

The move, he said, would ensure conduct of accurate census in 2023 in view of the numerous benefits that having such reliable data would provide towards fast tracking sustainable development in the country.

On Commission’s preparedness for the census, Isa-Kwarra said that it was 80 per cent prepared before the postponement of the exercise.

He said the postponement had given the Commission more time to address other challenges towards ensuring reliable and accurate data which would be used by all stakeholders locally and internationally.

While commending the role played by the media in creating awareness on the exercise, Isa-Kwarra urged them to sustain the tempo to facilitate its successful conduct.